Soundcraft CAKEWALK Setup Guide

V 2.0

Version 9 PC

Setup Guide

Setup GuideSetup Guide

Revised: 06-12-00

Contents

1111Introduction 2

2222 Configuring Cakewalk 4

Digital 328 v2 and

Digital 328 v2 andDigital 328 v2 and

Cakewalk Version 9 PC

Cakewalk Version 9 PCCakewalk Version 9 PC

3333 328 Instrument Definition 6

4444 328 Automation Setup 8

5555 Automation Tutorial 10

Cakewalk Version 9 Setup Guide

Introduction

IntroductionIntroduction

328 Automation

328 Automation328 Automation

The Digital 328 mixing console offers full dynamic automation. What this means is that any encoder/fader movement, button press, in-fact any control surface setting can be recorded in realtime via MIDI to Cakewalk, for playback at a later time.

The 328 allows not only every control surface audio parameter to be automated, but also full automation of both Dynamic Processors and both FX Processors.

This means that a fully automated mix track can be integrated into a recording session, containing any fades, mutes, snapshot recalls etc. that occur at certain points through your song.

As the automation data is recorded using MIDI messages, any automation event may be isolated and edited/moved/deleted from within the sequencer track, or even new automation events can be created from within the sequencer itself.

How Does The 328 Achieve Dynamic Automation?

How Does The 328 Achieve Dynamic Automation?How Does The 328 Achieve Dynamic Automation?

The 328 achieves automation via standard MIDI messages, the same MIDI messages which are usually associated with MIDI keyboards, drum machines etc. The only difference when it comes to automating the 328, is in the way that the console responds to these MIDI messages: a MIDI synthesizer’s response to a certain MIDI message may be to increase the resonance of a filter, the 328’s response to that same message may be to move channel fader 9 to +5dB!

Continuous Controller And NRPN Messages

Continuous Controller And NRPN MessagesContinuous Controller And NRPN Messages

Many other automated devices utilize MIDI Continuous Controllers (Control Changes) to accomplish their automation. A MIDI Continuous Controller message, of which there are 128, consists of two parts (bytes): an Event ID byte describes to a receiving device which parameter to change, and an Event value data byte tells the instrument by how much to change that parameter.

IntroductionIntroduction

Introduction

The message format of a Continuous Controller message is as follows:

Event ID = Event value

(0-127) (0-127)

Parameter to be

set

This gives 128 different controllers, each with a resolution of 128 values.

Spirit Digital 328 v2

Value to Which

Parameter Is Set

However, in the designing of the 328, it was decided that limiting the amount of automatable functions to 128 would be somewhat restrictive, when in-fact there are almost 1,500 functions on the 328 which could (and do!) fall under automatable operation. To access the ‘extra’ Event ID’s needed to automate every parameter on the 328, the 128 Continuous Controllers of all 16 MIDI channels are used (see the MIDI Specifications in the Appendix Version 2 Software Manual). Consequently you should ensure that the 328 is connected to a dedicated MIDI In and a dedicated MIDI Out port on the computer.

Snapshot Automation

Snapshot AutomationSnapshot Automation

The 328 also offers Snapshot automation: any Snapshot (or User Setup) can be recalled within an automation track. This is done with standard MIDI Program Changes.

You may already have used Program Change commands with a MIDI synthesizer as a means to select voices – there are 128 Program Change commands (0-127), each one corresponding to a different voice on the synthesizer: Sending Program Change 52 to the synthesizer would recall voice 52. Snapshot automation operates in the same fashion.

The following table indicates the Program Change message value required to recall each individual Snapshot and User Setup.

Program

ProgramProgram

Change

ChangeChange

00 Snapshot 001 01 Snapshot 002

--- --98 Snapshot 099

99 Snapshot 100 100 User Setup 01 101 User Setup 02

--- --124 User Setup 25 125 User Setup 26

Recalled

RecalledRecalled

So, to recall Snapshot #1, Program Change 0 should be sent to the 328. To recall Snapshot #69, Program Change 68 should be sent to the 328, and so on.

Note that within Cakewalk it is possible to view MIDI Program Changes within the range 1-128, to avoid confusion.

However, there is one other thing to bear in mind - every individual Snapshot has a ‘MIDI Recall’ selection that can be enabled/disabled. If ‘MIDI Recall’ is turned ‘OFF’ for a particular Snapshot, then it cannot be recalled via a Program Change command. Therefore, any Snapshot you wish to recall from within an automation track must have ‘MIDI Recall’ turned ‘ON’, else the Snapshot will not recall. When the Global ‘MIDI Recall’ of Snapshots is switched to ‘ON’, any Snapshot subsequently created will automatically have ‘MIDI Recall’ switched to ‘ON’. To do this, enter the ‘Snapshot Setup’ menu and toggle ‘MIDI Recall’ to ‘ON’.

Cakewalk Version 9 Setup Guide

Configuring Cakewalk

Configuring CakewalkConfiguring Cakewalk

MIDI Connections

MIDI ConnectionsMIDI Connections

It is essential that a 2-way MIDI communication configuration is used between the 328 and Cakewalk.

Using standard MIDI cables, connect the 328 MIDI Out to the PC MIDI In, and connect the 328 MIDI In to the PC MIDI Out.

PC Midi Out 328 Midi In

PC Midi In

328 Midi Out

This 2-way communication configuration now allows full automation recording and playback.

Cakewalk Setup

Cakewalk SetupCakewalk Setup

Start Cakewalk, and enter ‘MIDI Devices…’ on the ‘Tools’ pull-down menu.

Now, in the ‘Output Ports’ selection select the MIDI Out port you are using the 328 with. Click on ‘Move Selected Devices to Top’ so that it moves to the top of the list.

Ensure that both the MIDI In and MIDI Out ports are enabled (highlighted) for the MIDI interface you are using the 328 with, as well as for any other devices on any other MIDI Ports.

Here, the MIDI Port being used with the 328 is ‘Roland MPU401’, and hence both the Input (MIDI In) and Output (MIDI Out) are selected. The other ports are selected as they are used by other MIDI devices.

Ensure that the MIDI In port being used with the 328 is selected

Ensure that the MIDI Out port being used with the 328 is top of the list, and selected

Spirit Digital 328 v2

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